RSS Press releases

Dumfries and Galloway Council has announced that £250,000 funding will be available for local Third Sector organisations and businesses in Dumfries and Galloway to give Children and Young people a Summer to remember.

   We are seeking local organisations to deliver free activities during the Summer School Holidays 2021. This funding is specifically aimed at providing children and young people, in Primary 1 to S6, with opportunities to meet with their friends and take part in free activities across Dumfries and Galloway this Summer. In particular, this will provide support for those children and young people who may otherwise struggle to access such experiences during the holidays, and will give them the opportunity to socialise, play and reconnect with their local communities and environments.  We are looking for a range of different activities and experiences across all communities.

We recognise the impact that the COVID-19 pandemic and associated lockdown has had on our young people and this programme will help them to get back to normality. This programme of activities is being co-produced with local children and young people to ensure that they get the activities that they enjoy and young people will also be key part of the decision making panel.

Organisations from any area within our Region can apply. We are offering funding to provide free activities throughout the whole summer holidays from the period of Saturday 26^th June until Wednesday 18^th August 2021.

 Applications are open now and the closing date for submission of organisations completed applications is 8am on Monday 31 May.

Councillor Andy Ferguson, Chair of Communities Committee, said: “This funding opportunity for our Third Sector Partners and local businesses continues our commitment as a local authority to ensure that our communities recover from the effects of the pandemic. Our Council is committed to supporting all of our children and young people who have been affected by the pandemic where they were isolated from the friends and missed out on play and social activities which are vital to their physical and mental wellbeing. This fund will ensure that they can have a wonderful summer holiday with their friends and access free events and activities.”

Councillor John Martin, Vice Chair of Communities Committee, said: “We are delighted to be working in partnership with all of our third sector partners and local businesses as well as our local children and young people, to support their recovery from the effects of the pandemic. This funding is available for all groups, organisation and local businesses who meet our criteria, and we want to support as many groups as possible to help make this a truly amazing summer holiday for our local young people. This funding is specifically designed to support the delivery of new events and activities, so if you are interested, we would encourage you to get in touch. Together we can make this a summer to remember for all our children and young people.”

Hannah Birse, Chairperson of Dumfries and Galloway Youth Council, said:“The youth council is really pleased to be working alongside the Council to deliver an amazing summer for young people. We are involved in setting the priorities for the funding and ensure that the funding goes to those activities that will make the most difference to young people, and also those that young people will have a lot of fun attending”

Applications Forms and Guidance Notes can be downloaded from: www,dumgal.gov.uk/grants 

If you have any questions on this application process or would like any advice and guidance, e-mail: Amazingsummer@dumgal.gov.uk or phone: 01387 260 243.